A visit to the piney woods of Daufuskie

There were six of us going over to Daufuskie Island: Lib, four of her friends visiting from Huntsville, and me. I was the tagalong.

It was not the best weather to be out on the river, north wind blowing, dark clouds roiling in the distance.

Charlie Thorn, author of “Children of Shadows” and an Outside Hilton Head guide, picked us up in a custom Carolina skiff at Lib’s dock on Myrtle Island. We felt fortunate to have him, as he is most knowledgeable about Daufuskie and the people who live there.

We settled down for the run on rough water and I was thankful to have brought a head scarf, for the wind was strong in the open waters.

Turning off of the May River, we passed Bull Island and met the Intracoastal Waterway that flows along the back side of Daufuskie.

Some days, there are so many boats heading south for the winter that use this safe passageway, they are lined up one after the other.

Today, we saw only one, a sailboat going to where warm weather is guaranteed.

Even though it was hazy, we could see the water tower and Harbor Town lighthouse on Hilton Head. A short while later, on the horizon we could see the Talmadge Bridge and the gantries at the Georgia Ports Authority across the expanse of marsh and river.

In the summer, the landing where we docked is impossibly crowded with boats of all sorts. This is the location of the infamous Marshside Mama’s restaurant, a fun place with live music and great food.

But, today, the restaurant was closed and there was no competition for dock space.

We climbed aboard the golf carts that would be our transportation around the island and listened as Charlie gave us a brief history.

He gestured to the narrow asphalt road we were on. “This is the only public paved road on the island,” he said, and told us that initially Haig Point on the northern end had been purchased for the timber and a train track had been built to haul the logs to the other end of the island, where they would be loaded onto barges with easy access to the mill west of Savannah.

When the timber was cleared, there was no more use for the rail line and the iron was disassembled and sold.

The line was then paved.

For the next couple of hours, we explored this sea island, the old oyster houses from the days the canning factory shipped Daufuskie oysters to far off places, the school house where Pat Conroy taught and the church still active after generations of service.

We admired the artistry of Lancy Burn at the Silver Dew Pottery and the unique pieces Chase Allen creates from metal at his Iron Fish Gallery.

Trying to explain the enchantment of Daufuskie Island is impossible.

Not everyone is drawn to a lifestyle of dirt roads and piney woods, where spirits surely must live in the ancient oaks and time has a way of sliding softly past.

Conroy pointed out that the “Water is Wide,” but, as we all know, that is no excuse for not making a visit to this special island of our Lowcountry.

Comments are welcome, so long as they are civil. A Facebook account is required. Abuse may result in the commenter being permanently blocked. Personal attacks are strictly prohibited. We reserve the right to remove any comments at any time.